The 2015/2016 Continuous Professional Development Support Scheme (CPDSS) for non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) working in the fields of surgery and emergency medicine, taking place at RCSI, is now open for enrolment.

The scheme offers a wide range of technical skills and human factors modules. Eligible NCHDs have until Friday, 11 September to enrol on the Programme.

The scheme is commissioned and funded by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to facilitate NCHDs within the public health service, who are not on training schemes, to maintain their professional competence in line with Medical Council requirements and provides a structured means of achieving 20 external CPD credits. 

The scheme includes technical skills modules and Human Factors and Patient Safety training including modules on ‘Medicine in Surgery' and ‘Chest & Abdomen Trauma'. Additional technical skills modules include basic and advanced surgical skills courses aimed at SHOs. Advanced courses in endoscopy and laparoscopic surgery are targeted at senior registrars.

For Emergency Medicine there are modules on ‘Emergency Radiology' and ‘Safe Sedation in the Emergency Department'. In Human Factors and Patient Safety, the popular module ‘Professional Competence in a Multicultural Workplace' will run again in 2015/16 along with topics such on Mastering Adverse Outcomes.

Professor Oscar Traynor, Director, National Surgical Training Centre, RCSI, said: "The RCSI Continuous Professional Development Support Scheme assists NCHDs to satisfy their professional competence requirement. The programme provides highly relevant courses for emergency medicine and surgery NCHDs at both SHO and Registrar level, to equip them with invaluable skills and technical expertise needed in order to excel in their speciality."

The Continuous Professional Development Support Scheme is open to NCHDs who are registered on the General Division or Supervised Division of the Register of Medical Practitioners maintained by the Medical Council. NCHDs must hold the 2010 NCHD contract and be working within the public health service. To successfully enrol on the Professional Development Programme, applicants must have paid the annual Professional Competence Scheme Fee for 2015/2016.

Since the 1 May 2011, it has been mandatory for all doctors to register with a Professional Competence Scheme (PCS) run by one of the postgraduate training bodies. RCSI has been designated by the Irish Medical Council to run PCS for surgery and emergency medicine.